C&D Wastes Account for a Third of Landfill Volume in North Carolina
According to North Carolina state officials, construction and demolition (C&D) wastes account for a third of all wastes disposed in the state last year. While the materials could be reused, most often the wood, metal and other items are simply crushed and hauled to landfills. Relatively cheap landfill disposal rates remove the economic incentive to recycle. Lately however, rates have been rising and so too the incentive. Moreover, Legislation being considered at the General Assembly would require more stringent regulations at C&D landfills, including higher fees and enhanced recycling programs. The stakes are huge as North Carolina's situation is similar to the rest of the US. According to Waste Business Journal statistics, of the 170 million tons generated annually in the US, only 26% is recycled, leaving 123 million tons destined for sanitary and C&D landfills...Read More »
Ohio EPA Has Spent $27 Million to Clean Up Tires Since 1998
The Ohio EPA reports that since 1998, it has spent more than $27 million to clean up 41 million illegally dumped scrap tires. Recovering these costs is challenged by the difficulty in finding those who are responsible. Ohio, like some other states, charges a $1 fee on all new tires sold in the state which raises about $7 million annually. According to Bob Large, who supervises the Ohio EPA's scrap-tire program, fewer than 4 million scrap tires remain to be cleaned up and recycled in the state, at a cost of about $1 per tire. The Rubber Manufacturers Association said that 188 million scrap tires lay in dumps nationwide in 2005, down from an estimated 1 billion in 1990. Most tires have been recycled and turned into everything from landfill liners to rubberized mulch or burned for energy...Read More »
Study Finds High Percentage Toxic Heavy Metals in Packaging
A recently released report from the Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse draws some dire conclusions about the presence of toxic materials in common packaging. Over 60 percent of plastic bags made from polyvinyl chloride contained lead and cadmium, in probable violation of several states' laws. Test results found that one plastic mail order bag was, by weight, almost one-percent lead. Much of the material in violation came from Asia, where, according to the report, "solvent-based inks that contain heavy metals are still used." Eight states with toxics in packaging laws on the books - California, Connecticut, Iowa, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island - contributed to the study...Read More »
Amex Environmental Services Index up 15.78% Through June
The Amex Environmental Services Index rose 1.98% in June and gained 15.78% for the six months ending June 30. The index is an Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) which is comprised of publicly traded companies involved in waste management and related activities. It is a modified equal-dollar-weighted index that is designed to trade in a manner similar to individual stocks...Read More »
Waste Pro Makes Three Acquisitions in Georgia and Florida
Longwood Florida-based Waste Pro USA announced three acquisitions this month that will add another $7 million in annualized revenues. They include A to Z Waste Services in Atlanta, the assets of Waste Management in Liberty County Florida and Choice Environmental in St. Lucie County Florida. The company plans to integrate its acquired operations into its existing network of 21 locations in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina and internalize its Atlanta area volume to its recently acquired Cherokee Landfill there...Read More »
EPA is Investigating Burial of Radioactive Waste at Camp Lejeune in 1980s
The US EPA is investigating whether cancer-causing radioactive material was buried during the 1980s near a rifle range at Camp Lejeune near Jacksonville, North Carolina. A recently recovered Navy document dated 1981 indicated that the material included 160 pounds of soil and two animal carcasses laced with strontium-90, an isotope that causes cancer and leukemia. The material likely came from a naval research lab near the base. Over three decades, tens of thousands of Marines at Camp Lejeune and their families drank and bathed in water contaminated with as many as 40 times more toxins than permitted by safety standards. At least 850 former residents of the base have filed claims against the military, seeking nearly $4 billion, for exposure to the tainted water...Read More »
SCS Engineers is Branching out into Sustainability Projects
SCS Engineers is branching out into green engineering and design work. The firm has joined with the 9,000 member strong US Green Building Council (USGBC) whose purpose is to unite building industry leaders to produce buildings that are environmentally sustainable. SCS plans to assist clients in obtaining the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for a variety of projects including brownfield redevelopment, wastewater systems, landfill gas, green power, recycling systems, and others...Read More »
Allied Waste Industries Will Announce 2Q Earnings on August 2
Allied Waste Industries, Inc. will announce second quarter financial results at the close of markets on Thursday, August 2 and host a conference call that afternoon at 5 pm Eastern Time...Read More »
Waste Services, Inc. to Release 2Q Results on July 24
Waste Services, Inc. plans to release second quarter 2007 financial results at the close of markets on Tuesday, July 24 and host a conference call the following morning to discuss...Read More »
WCA Waste Corp. to Release 2Q Earnings on August 1
WCA Waste Corp. plans to release second quarter 2007 financial results at the close of markets on August 1 and host a conference call the following day...Read More »
Medical Waste Firm Sanitec Industries Files Bankruptcy
Sun Valley, CA-based Sanitec Industries Inc., a medical waste disposal firm, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The petition listed assets and debts of between $1 million and $100 million. Unsecured creditors are expected to receive some recovery on their claims, after secured creditors are paid off. The largest among them is their law firm Patton Boggs. Sanitec provides environmentally friendly medical waste treatment and disposal services at hospital and regional waste treatment centers in the US, Brazil, UK, Canada, Japan, Korea and Saudi Arabia...Read More »
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